Samsung Galaxy Note II

[ChrisD]

Had mine 5 weeks and very happy with it. Still not using the stylus properly yet and not enough time to rearrange the screen widgets to my satisfaction. Case very good too (see post 73). Still prefer the mute switch on iphone (can't silence it without looking at phone: which it rude if you're talking to sometime). Although I haven't filled the 64GB card I'm about to get a cable so that I can plug in other memory devices.

 

[Badgers]

Note III (3) release September 2013 then?

http://m.digitaltrends.com/mobile/galaxy-note-3-and-galaxy-tab-3-rumored-for-ifa-2013/

As for the Galaxy Note 3’s tech specs, SamMobile’s anonymous insider had nothing to say on the subject, but this news comes soon after another report indicated the third incarnation of Samsung’s smartphone/tablet hybrid would boast a 5.9-inch display. This would make it almost half an inch larger than Galaxy Note 2’s screen, and just over an inch smaller than the company’s smallest tablet.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I've just ordered one

£26 pm with unlimited data, texts and 500 mins on T-Mobile. Little worried about the sheer size of the thing, but I remember thinking that about the current phone and its 4.3" screen seems pretty tiny these days.

 

[ChrisFilter]

Size is fine. Best phone on the market. I love mine.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I'm quite looking forward to a phone with decent battery life if nothing else. I'm guessing this and the S3 are being discounted at the moment because of the S4, but that's going to be a while before it drops in price.

Have you got a case for it ChrisFilter? It seems pretty flimsy, so thinking it might be worth spending a bit more then the £2 I did on the HTC.

Also has anyone rooted it/put a new rom on it? I'm guessing options will be limited as someone would have to bake all the S Pen stuff in to one, not sure how much I'll use that yet anyhow.

 

[Pingu]

case is essential imo.

battery life on it is fine and its size isn't an issue once you get used to it.

love mine

 

[ChrisFilter]

I don't have a case. I never use the stylus but the manufacturer rom is fine for me so have never felt the need to root it.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Arrived this morning, still not sure about carrying the dam thing, but I'm getting used to the screen size very quickly. Nice for example to be able to look at full page of urban without having to zoom to read thread titles. Updated to latest android and firmware when I plugged it in.

Very glad I got a case, can't believe how thin the battery cover is and how much it flexed when I put the battery. I'm sure it's fine, but coming from HTC it feels odd. Despite being much bigger it weighs less then my Desire HD. Buttons are confusing the heck out of me being in the "wrong" place and having a phsyical buttom for home, but will get used it.

Do I really need to install their Kies software on my PC...I've plugged it in and it's not showing as two USB devices like I'd expect.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Seems really odd that such a big device needs micro sim.

 

[pinkmonkey]

Arrived this morning, still not sure about carrying the dam thing, but I'm getting used to the screen size very quickly. Nice for example to be able to look at full page of urban without having to zoom to read thread titles. Updated to latest android and firmware when I plugged it in.

Very glad I got a case, can't believe how thin the battery cover is and how much it flexed when I put the battery. I'm sure it's fine, but coming from HTC it feels odd. Despite being much bigger it weighs less then my Desire HD. Buttons are confusing the heck out of me being in the "wrong" place and having a phsyical buttom for home, but will get used it.

Do I really need to install their Kies software on my PC...I've plugged it in and it's not showing as two USB devices like I'd expect.

I've never used the Kies software, it just doesn't work, for me, anyway, I drag and drop my files and all my contacts and email is stored by Google/gmail, so there's not much point to me in backing up.
You will soon get used to the size - I love my Note - just been on a business trip, took only that, no laptop, no ipad. Loaded it with mags, tunes and books for the journey - I don't think I'd go back to a standard sized phone.

 

[Pingu]

I have never bothered with kies air but the std product allows you to synch with outlook etc.

1st thing I did btw was to enable swipe to make input easier (this also works well with the stylus)

 

[2hats]

I find Kies works sometimes, sometimes it doesn't. And not all features work.

So I tend to use Airdroid to move stuff around.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

It's appeared in exporer, so think I can safely delete Kies.

I've already switched over to Swift Key (which also supports it).

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Can anyone suggest a free paint app to use with the pen? Seems a bit odd there isn't one included.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Ok this is ranks alongside an SSD for the coolest tech purchase in the last five years.

I was bit fucked of with the HD dying, thinking this gen would only give me an incremental upgrade, but it's cool as fuck. It's many times faster then my netbook.

 

[ChrisFilter]

Yeah. It's bad ass.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Think it's quite funny that my phone loads Web pages way faster then the shit work laptop I'm using.

Also liking that I normally have around 50 percent battery by end of day... Very nice for a smartphone.

Think the main thing I'd change though is a actual button for home, seems sluggish compared to everything else, but it's relative and worried that it will be the bit that wares out.

 

[cliche guevara]

I almost bought one of these yesterday, as my Galaxy Nexus has slowed to a crawl. I would definitely want the LTE version if I'm going for a two year contract, which is a bit more expensive - £29 on 3 for 500 minutes, unlimited data and unlimited messages. Is it too late to buy now though? The Note III will probably be out within the next three months and I'm worried I'll be stuck a generation behind.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Although there are much newer phones out there, I'm still impressed by mine when I have a play with somebodies new toy. The Note 4 may tempt me, but it will be a long way of till they drop to a price I'll pay. Anyway mine has suffered the aging smartphone problem, a degraded battery. I totally hammer it still and it's started to get frustrated. Tried a cheap one and they really aren't worth it.

Just had a brand new genuine Samsung battery in the post. Not cheap, but I'm looking forward to having epic battery life back!

 

[pinkmonkey]

Still using my Note 1 ! It's as slow as fuck though so when I get time I'll try and root it. I'm on a cheap sim only deal now so I don't want to upgrade. I've three batteries for mine and a charger.